The stretching tool as disclosed is for effective self-stretching and motion aide for patients. One objective of the stretching tool is to facilitate therapist-quality self-stretching by patients rehabilitating after total knee replacement.
Another objective of the stretching tool disclosed is to assist users with recovering from a variety of deficits related to the lower body including recovering from joint replacement surgery or managing low back pain by improving flexibility. Another objective is for users with a painful lower extremity, such as after total knee replacement, is improved stretching by increased efficiency and user control. It is a problem in the art that a lack of user control can produce or initiate user protective responses which are counterproductive to therapeutic goals. The stretching tool and method of use disclosed and claimed herein allow this type of control and achieve this objective via the compartment of the stretching tool encompassing the foot combined with bilateral hand grips providing user confidence in the prescribed motion or stretch.
Another objective is to provide the user with goniometric feedback during use of the stretching tool which motivates the user to exercise using the stretching tool improving recovery.
Another objective is to provide the user of the stretching tool with the benefit of decreasing the risk of user developing arthrofibrosis post-surgery.